Current Events
Twice Liberators of France, Sikhs Get First Taste of Liberty in Ungrateful France
by YUDHVIR RANA
"The UN Human Rights
Commission (UNHRC) has asked France to submit a report by March 15, 2012 on
measures it is planning to take against violation of religious freedom
of 76-year-old Ranjit Singh, who was asked to remove his turban for an
ID photo", informed Mejinderpal Kaur, legal director of Sikh NGO, United Sikhs, on Thursday, January 12, 2012.
Following this observation of UNHRC, the Sikhs had won the turban case against France at the UN, Mejinderpal Kaur added.
Quoting the media conference held in Bobigny, near Paris, France,
by the legal team that had filed a communication in
December 2008 on beahlf of Ranjit Singh, she said the UNHRC had
concluded that France had violated the religous freedom of Ranjit Singh, a Sikh-Frenchman.
The committee observed that France had failed to explain how the turban
hindered identification since the wearer's face would be visible and he
would be wearing the turban at all times, she said.
She also
conveyed the reaction of Ranjit Singh, who said "I had faith that truth
and justice would prevail and I patiently waited for this day. I pray
that France will now fulfil its obligation and grant me a residence card
bearing my photo without baring my head."
Mejinderpal Kaur said that they were happy with the Committee's observations that France was under obligation to provide Ranjit Singh
with an effective remedy, including a reconsideration of his
application for renewal of residence permit and a review of the relevant
legislative framework and its application in practice.
"We now
look to France to fulfill its treaty obligations under International
lLw and its moral duty to ensure that the freedom of religion and belief
is upheld for everyone who lives within its territory," she added.
[Courtesy: The Times of India]
January 13, 2012
Conversation about this article
1: Yadvinder Singh Bhangu (Melbourne, Australia), January 13, 2012, 12:22 PM.
Waheguru.
2: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 1:41 PM.
Thanks to United Sikhs for taking the case to the UN. I would like to request the British and India to come forward to help Sikhs to fight for their unhindered right to wearing the turban. When they needed to sacrifice their lives in defending them, the French had no issue with the turban, but now liberated France does not have the decency to recognize the role of the turbaned army in liberating them in two World Wars. Also, India has the duty to defend the turban all the way!
3: G. Singh (U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 2:24 PM.
I don't think Sikhs should waste their time looking to India for defending the turban. India's turbaned prime minister went to France after the ban and awarded billions of dollars worth of contracts for military aircraft without negotiating for anything! And ours was a legitimate demand. Sikhs are on their own and it's better that we learn to fend for ourselves by supporting and building our own institutions and infrastructure.
4: N. Singh (Canada), January 13, 2012, 4:09 PM.
Could sikhchic.com please provide more details on the role of Sikhs in France or point out where we can source this information? My knowledge of this is very sketchy. Thanks.
5: Kanwarjeet Singh (Franklin Park, New Jersey, U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 4:13 PM.
G.C. Singh and Gurjender ji: - India actually rejoices in the fact that Sikhs have all these problems. I am not being paranoid, this is the plain and simple truth. This is our fight and we should not expect the Sikhs to get any kind of external help. The world as the Sikhs see it is very different - (most) Sikhs will go out of their way to defend someone else's honor, life, freedom, etc., but many other non-Sikhs will simply shrug their shoulders and walk away as long as it does not concern them. This is clearly evident from the case of France (which Sikhs helped liberate twice!), from the case of most people in India (see 1984 atrocities for example - only a handful of non-Sikhs stuck it out with us, most others have chosen to be silent or actually glad that 1984 happened). Same goes for Britain - there is no interest in supporting us.
6: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), January 13, 2012, 4:48 PM.
All the more reason we should build our own museums and galleries in every country to tell the world our history.
7: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 4:53 PM.
Kanwerjeet Singh ji: your comments are valid. But why don't our institutions work together to chart out a public education program? No one in the whole world - not even in India - do people know of what the Sikhs did in the World Wars! A few years ago, I went to a New York parade and some of the non-Sikh Americans asked me what is going on. Sikhs have been in North America for well over a century, and still ...
8: Kanwarjeet Singh (Franklin Park, New Jersey, U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 4:57 PM.
N. Singh ji: here is an excellent article by Bhupinder Singh Holland: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/history-of-sikhism/27506-sikhs-europe-during-world-war-ii.html. You should also look up videos of footage on YouTube: Use the keywords "Sikhs in World Wars" - you will find at least six different video series about the same. I think sikhchic.com also carried an article in the past on the same topics - check out the HISTORY tab.
9: Odile Flint (Brighton, United Kingdom), January 13, 2012, 5:17 PM.
I read this article this morning on another website and it has been on my mind today. I agree with the sentiments of Kanwarjeet Singh. Throughout history the Sikhs have defended the rights of the oppressed and for the latter to be able to practice their respective faiths freely; that is, Sikhs have died defending not only their own rights but those of others. As Sikhs we must remember our history and the path that the Guru guides us on. To be a Sikh means the same today as it always has - to defend truth and freedom from oppression. I am humbled by the actions of this proud, brave spiritual warrior when so many others around him have relented. Please let me know how I can help,
10: N. Singh (Canada), January 13, 2012, 6:59 PM.
Kanwarjeet Singh ji: Firstly, thank you for the link! Secondly, I would like to play devil's advocate. What you have said regarding the lack of appreciation from others for our sacrifices on their behalf is true. It raises some interesting questions: should we not be more politically astute in selecting our 'friends' or 'causes'? Should we not be more politically astute in laying down the terms and conditions of our sacrifices (e.g., Khalistan in exchange for helping Indians)?. For those who betray us, should there not be consequences? Let's stand back and look at the bigger picture. The British, for example, committed many atrocities against the Sikhs including Jallianwala Bagh and the deliberate Partition of Punjab, but we have forgiven them. We even embrace their country and call it our own (myself included). We are prepared to fight in their armies to defend their homeland. 60-70 years from now, will we do the same for India despite 1984? A few years ago, when looking for more information on 1984, I curiously picked up K.S. Brar's book on "Operation Blue Star". He makes an insightful comment about the Sikhs who are quick to anger but after someone says a few friendly words to them they will quickly forget everything! Perhaps as a community we need to do some introspection on why this keeps happening to us? Are we doing something wrong? Are we failing to learn something? Just my thoughts.
11: Kanwarjeet Singh (Franklin Park, New Jersey, U.S.A.), January 13, 2012, 11:23 PM.
Dear friends who have commented on my earlier comments - first of all, thank you, I am humbled by so many people agreeing with me. I will take this opportunity to share one and only one thought - Why does this keep happening to us? I think the answer is well understood in Maskeen ji's kathaa in response to June / November 1984 (look it up on YouTube). In short: Someone asked Maskeen ji why this keeps happening to us. He replied: (1) We are a 'bholeey quom' (bholeey meaning, simple / straightforward, not stupid) - we are the same outside as we are inside. i.e., we do not get into the politics behind everything because we do not play this game of 'chaal kapat' (treachery). (2) We are also a live 'quom' (community). The fear of death only haunts the living, the fear of being extinguished can only affect a burning candle, similiarly the only quom(s) who are under threat are the ones with life. So as long as there is life in the Sikh quom, there will be threats. The day this life is gone / stolen, we will become like the other communities who have no identity, no rich history ... and nothing to nurture, nothing to treasure, nothing to build on, nothing to save.
12: Ravinder Singh (Mumbai, India), January 14, 2012, 2:25 AM.
Dear N. Singh ji: Maybe the answer to your question lies in the two basic concepts of the Sikh way of life, that is, to be Nirbhau and Nirvair - Without Fear, and Without Creating Fear. One, because we are generally fearless and are ever-ready to take on the world for what we believe is right. The other is that we, as a community and a collectivity, do not carry biases, hatred and prejudices. We fight for righteousness, justice and fair play ... and achieve it. But we have never carried our enmity with an entire religion, community, nation and race. All of this, while facing heavy odds.
13: Inderjeet Kaur (U.S.A.), January 15, 2012, 7:04 AM.
This is a victory, but not yet THE victory. The French will try to find a way out or they may simply refuse to comply. It's possible they will accept the ruling and make the necessary corrections, but unlikely. Anyone who expects the French to be grateful for those who died for her liberty are looking at the whole thing backwards. From the French point of view, to die for la belle France is a privilege, and we should be grateful they allowed us this high honour. We should be thanking THEM. Until we Sikhs start trying to see where the French are coming from, all our dealings are bound to be frustrating, at best. It will be most interesting to see how this plays out with the irresistible force of the Sikhs clashing with the immovable object of the French.
14: Sarvjit Singh (Millis, Massachusetts, U.S.A.), January 18, 2012, 3:25 PM.
Sikhs should not expect help from anyone in their case, except their own volunteers. This is how we have survived so far, and the Guru's blessings shall continue to carry us through. It will have to European Sikhs (English/ French) that will have to carry on this struggle, while support from us from across the diaspora is invariably behind them.